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Wednesday, 30 March 2011

The Department Of Energy & Climate Change is keen to engage in an open and transparent choices and trade-offs the UK has to make to reach the 2050 emissions reduction target.

By the year 2050 we will need to dramatically change the way in which we use and produce our energy. In order to aviod the most dangerous aspects of climate change scientists propose that the UK should reduce carbon emissions to 20% or less of 1990 levels by the year 2050.

My2050 is an online visualisation and simplification of The 2050 Pathways Analysis. The Pathways work presents a framework through which to consider some of the choices and trade-offs we will have to make over the next forty years. It is system-wide, covering all parts of the economy and all greenhouse gases emissions released in the UK. It is rooted in scientific and engineering realities, looking at what is thought to be physically and technically possible in each sector.This visual tool uses sliders to control how we supply our energy. You can take control of how our fuel and electricity is generated, reducing the use of conventional gas, coal and oil power stations and/or increasing the use of wind turbines, renewable energy or nuclear energy.You can also control how we use the energy, increasing business greenness, home efficiency and how we heat our homes.

These interactive sliders also have a visual effect on the world above, My House, My City, My Country. e.g. When home efficiency is scaled up the windows become double glazed and the house gains cavity and loft insulation. Or when the use of wind turbines on land and sea are scaled up both My City and My Country show additional wind turbines generating energy.

The aim is to reach the 20% emissions target without causing an energy shortage or without wasting large amounts of energy generated.